Dispensing container having an electrically vibrated screen



Jan. 29,1952

Filed Dec. 4, 1947 H. A. LICHTENSTEIN DISPENSING CONTAINER HAVING AN Inventor Herbert A. L ich/ensrem H. A. LICHTENSTEIN DISPENSING CONTAINER HAVING AN Filed Dec. 4, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 10 I M 4 I Fig:

Inventor 3 Herbert A. Lichrensre/h ,2 and Patented Jan. 29, 1952 DISPENSING CONTAINER HAVING AN ELECTRICALLY VIBRATED SCREEN Herbert A. Lichtenstein, Bangor, Maine Application December 4, 1947, Serial No. 789,734

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-199) This invention relates to new and useful im I provements and structural refinements in dispensingcontainers, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a container of the character herein described, such as may be conveniently and effectively employed in dental laboratories, or the like, for the dispensing of gypsum in a dehumidified or dehydrated, freeflowing form.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispensing container which includes in its construction an electrically operated agitator to assist in the gypsum dispensing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing container which is simple in construction, which may be easily and conveniently manipulated, and which will not easily become damaged.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a dispensing container which is pleasing in appearance, which may be readily attached to or removed from its supporting structure, and which is otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which it is intended.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention con sists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view thereof;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 33 in Figure.

2; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a dispensing container designated generally by the reference character I9, the same embodying in its conable cap I! is removably positioned on this neck, so that after the cap is removed, the contents of the hopper II may be dispensed.

The entire container may be mounted upon a wall or some other suitable supporting structure by means of a bracket I8 having a U-shaped cross sectional configuration, the mid-portion of this bracket being secured in any convenient manner to the upper end portion I2 of the hopper II, while the side members of the bracket are secured by bolts or screws I9 to a block 201, attached as at 2| to the supporting structure 22.

An openable cover 23 is hingedly attached as at 24 to the upper end portion I2 of the hopper I I, a mirror or reflector 25 being mounted on the under surface of the cover by a plurality of brackets 25, so that observation of the contents of the hopper I I is facilitated.

A spider 21 is secured in the lower end portion I of the hopper I I as at 28, this spider supporting an electromagnetic agitating unit 29 of any conventional design, which carries on the armature 30 thereof a vibrating screen 3I. Needless I to say, this screen is not in direct contact with struction what may be referred to as an upright The lower end portion I4 of the hopper II is provided with a frusto-conical passage I5 terminating in a restricted outlet neck I6, and a suitthe hopper portion I4, so that when the agitator 29 is energized, the screen 3| is free to vibrate and cause agitation of the contents of the hopper II, so as to facilitate the dispensing operation.

The operation of the agitator 29 is controlled by means of a suitable switch 32 mounted upon a bracket 33 secured to the outer surface of the hopper portion I4, the electrical connection from the switch to the agitator 29 being taken through a suitable conduit or channel 34 secured to the underside of the aforementioned spider 21.

In order to prevent undue accumulation of gypsum between the agitator 29 and the screen 3!, an angular trough 35 surrounds the mid-portion of the agitator. This trough is formed with a plurality of openings 36, and a plurality of downwardly extending legs 31 are struck-out from the trough, whereby the latter is supported in position by the engagement of these legs with the screen 3I.

In order to maintain the contents of the hop per I I in a dehumidified and free flowing condition, a hygroscopic unit 38 is provided within the upper end portion I 2 of the hopper, said unit including in its construction an upright receptacle 39, secured by means of a U-shaped bracket 40 to the inner surface of the hopper portion I2.

The upper end of the receptacle $9 is open while its lower end is of a foraminous character,

assuming the form of a screen II supported by an annular flange 42 with which the lower end of the receptacle 39 is provided. A collector cup 43 is removably positioned on the lower end of the receptacle 39, under the screen 4|, and when the invention is placed in use, suitable hygroscopic agent is placed in the receptacle for the purpose of absorbing water from the contents of the hopper II. The water absorbed by the hygroscopic agent in the receptacle 39 will collect in the cup 43, from which it may be periodically removed by simply separating the cup from the receptacle, as will be clearly apparent.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, a further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a dispensing container, the combination of a vertically elongated chamber provided at its lower end with an outlet neck, an electromagnet mounted centrally in said chamber and including a substantially vertical vibratory armature, a

horizontally disposed vibratory screen provided in said chamber and secured substantially; at the center thereof to the lower end of said armature. an annular separator trough positioned between said electromagnet and the side wall of said chamber in spaced relation above said screen, the bottom of said trough being formed with a plurality of passages, and a set of supporting legs provided on said trough and resting on said screen, whereby vibratory motion of the screen may be transmitted to said trough.

HERBERT A. LICHTENSTEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Date Number Name 895,377 Kunz Aug. 4, 1908 1,563,722 Carlson Dec. 1, 1925 5 2,080,066 Sheppard May 11, 1937 Snyder Dec. 14, 1946 

